If you are a fan of York Peppermint Patties, then you need to make this Ninja Creami York Peppermint Patty Protein Ice Cream immediately! It has that same cool, intense mint and rich dark chocolate combo that makes the candy so good, only now it is thick and creamy ice cream with actual chopped peppermint patties mixed right in. It is 367 calories and 30 grams of protein for the ENTIRE pint and I promise you it does not taste like a protein shake.
This recipe comes in at 367.17 calories, 30.33 grams of protein, 4.17 grams of sugar, 10.67 grams of fat, and 47.17 carbs for the ENTIRE pint. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all nutrition facts.
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What I love about York Peppermint Patties is the sweet mint mixed with the rich chocolate. The mint is almost refreshing and the chocolate is not overly sweet like a lot of candy. To make ice cream that tastes like a peppermint patty, I used dark cocoa powder, chocolate fudge pudding mix, and peppermint extract in the base and then mixed-in actual peppermint patty pieces.
Let’s talk about the peppermint extract for a second because this is the part that can get a little tricky. Mint extract is NOT like vanilla extract. It is EXTREMELY strong, and too much of it will make your ice cream taste like toothpaste. I mean it!! Through my testing with different amounts, I landed on just ⅓ of a teaspoon, which gives you that clear, cool mint flavor without crossing the line into mouthwash territory. Taste the mixture before you freeze it, and if you want it mintier, add just a tiny bit more at a time.
You might look at the ingredient list and wonder why vanilla bean paste is in a chocolate mint ice cream. Good question! A little vanilla bean paste in the base helps create the sweet, creamy, mint flavor that you get with peppermint patties. Vanilla extract works 1:1 if that is what you have on hand.
The mix-ins here are chopped zero sugar York Peppermint Patties, and the chopping step is NOT optional. I learned the hard way that peppermint patties do not break apart nicely during the mix-ins process as they stay in big chunks and get VERY hard to chew. Chop them into smaller pieces before they go in and you will get that minty chocolate candy in every bite without any jaw workout required. If you want even more mix-in options, crushed Oreos, mini chocolate chips, or chopped peanut butter cups would all work great with this base.
This is a lower-fat, lower-sugar, higher protein recipe, which means the lite ice cream setting on the Ninja Creami is the right button to use and not the regular ice cream setting. If the ice cream comes out dry and crumbly looking after that first spin, do not panic. Just add a tablespoon or two of chocolate almond milk and re-spin. The chocolate almond milk adds a little extra chocolate flavor while helping to fix the texture, so it is a win either way. The sugar-free chocolate fudge pudding mix is doing a lot of the work to keep the texture thick and creamy, so make sure you are using INSTANT pudding only, not cook-and-serve or premade.
Tips for making Ninja Creami York Peppermint Patty Protein Ice Cream
For some reason, all mint extracts have a VERY strong flavor compared to all other oils and extracts, and a little goes a VERY long way. I’ve experimented with different amounts and different types of mint extracts, and it is best to start with a very small amount, mix it up, and then taste it before freezing. If you want to add more you can. Once it tastes minty enough, freeze it and process.
I found out the hard way, pun intended, that peppermint patties do not break up well during the mix-ins process. Instead, they stay in large chunks and become VERY hard to chew. I highly recommend breaking the peppermint patties into smaller pieces before adding them in as mix-ins so every bite has that perfect mint chocolate candy texture.
You can, but the chocolate protein shake is what gives this Ninja Creami protein ice cream its deep chocolate base flavor, so switching to vanilla protein powder or a strawberry protein shake will change the flavor profile significantly. If you go with a vanilla shake, I would increase the dark cocoa powder to compensate for the lost chocolate flavor.
Yes, absolutely! Regular York Peppermint Patties work just as well as the zero-sugar version. The texture and flavor in the mix-ins will be the same. Just keep in mind that using regular patties will change the nutritional information for the recipe.
If your Ninja Creami protein ice cream comes out soft, the most likely cause is your freezer temperature. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit, and the base needs to be completely frozen solid before you process it. Get an external thermometer to check your actual freezer temperature, because a lot of built-in thermometers are not accurate.
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Ingredient tips and substitutions
The full ingredient list is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- Chocolate Protein Shake: I used a Premier Protein chocolate shake, but any chocolate protein shake you like will work. Just taste it first, because the shake flavor does come through in the final Ninja Creami protein ice cream.
- Sugar-Free Instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix: Regular instant chocolate pudding mix works just as well. Just make sure it is INSTANT only, not cook-and-serve or premade, as those will not work correctly as a thickener for the texture.
- Dark Cocoa Powder: Dark cocoa powder gives this recipe a much richer, deeper chocolate flavor than regular cocoa powder does. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder will still work, but the chocolate flavor will be noticeably lighter.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Vanilla extract works as a 1:1 substitute for vanilla bean paste and will not change the flavor significantly.
- Peppermint Extract: Start with exactly ⅓ teaspoon and taste the mixture before freezing. Mint extract is VERY strong and too much will make the ice cream taste like toothpaste, so do not wing it on this one. Do not use spearmint extract, as it has a different flavor profile than peppermint.
- Zero Sugar York Peppermint Patties: Regular York Peppermint Patties work exactly the same. Just remember to chop them into smaller pieces before adding as mix-ins, no matter which version you use. You could also substitute chopped peanut butter cups, Oreos, or mini chocolate chips if you prefer a different mix-in.
- Chocolate Almond Milk (Optional): This is only needed if the ice cream comes out dry or crumbly after the lite ice cream setting. Any dairy or non-dairy milk works here.
Directions for Making the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, pudding mix, cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste, and peppermint extract into a small blender to mix the ingredients together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid getting a bump on the top of the frozen mixture, freeze with the lid off of the container.
Directions for Processing the Ice Cream Mixture
- After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
- Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on “LITE ICE CREAM.”
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of chocolate almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Dig a hole down the center of the ice cream and add the chopped-up York peppermint patties.
- Place the pint container back into the Ninja Creami and then process on “MIX-INS.”
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
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Recipe
Ninja Creami York Peppermint Patty Protein Ice Cream
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Equipment
Add Food Grade Vegetable Glycerin To Make Leftover Ice Cream Scoopable Right Out of the Freezer
Per 16 ounce pint: *Add 1 Teaspoon to full fat/full sugar bases *Add 1.5 teaspoon to high protein bases *Add 2 teaspoons to low sugar/low fat lite bases. Freeze and process per the recipe. Take the leftovers out of the freezer and scoop without having to reprocess. ***This is a guideline and adjustments may be needed based on your recipe.
Original, Breeze, Swirl, and Deluxe Ingredient Measurements
Use the multiplier below to adjust quantities based on the machine that you own. ***If you have the Original, Breeze, or Swirl machine, which use 16 ounce containers, choose the 1X option. ***If you have the Deluxe or XL machine, which use 24 ounce containers, choose the 1.5X option.
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 11.5 Ounces (326 g) Chocolate Protein Shake
- 2 Tablespoons (2 Tablespoons) Sugar-Free Instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1 Teaspoon (1 Teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste
- ⅓ Teaspoon (⅓ Teaspoon) Peppermint Extract
Mix-Ins
- 3 (3) Zero Sugar York Peppermint Patties (Chopped)
Optional
- 1-2 Tablespoons (1 Tablespoons) Chocolate Almond Milk
Instructions
Make the Ice Cream Mixture
- Pour the protein shake, pudding mix, cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste, and peppermint extract into a small blender to mix the ingredients together until the pudding mix is completely combined with the liquids.
- Freeze on a level surface for 24 hours. Your freezer should be between 9 and -7 degrees Fahrenheit. To avoid getting a bump on the top of the frozen mixture, freeze with the lid off of the container.
Process the Ice Cream
- After 24 hours, remove the pint container from the freezer.
- Place the pint container into the outer bowl of the Ninja Creami and then process on "LITE ICE CREAM."
- If the ice cream is dry or crumbly looking, pour in a tablespoon or two of chocolate almond milk and then respin. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times.
- Dig a hole down the center of the ice cream and add the chopped-up York peppermint patties.
- Place the pint container back into the Ninja Creami and then process on "MIX-INS."
- Remove the pint from the machine and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Optional ingredients are not included in the nutrition information.
Recipes that use allulose:
Allulose is a low calorie sweetener that your body doesn't fully digest, so it provides only 0.4 calories per gram instead of 4. That's why the calorie total doesn't match what you'd expect from the carb count. Calories from allulose are calculated based on metabolized carbohydrates. Allulose contributes fewer calories than standard carbohydrates.
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